In a side impact, the door of a motor vehicle being impacted generally bows inboard, intruding into the passenger compartment. In the event the impact force is sufficient, the intrusion may be significant. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the armrest A is generally aligned with the ribs R of the occupant O. The armrest A is generally stiff and may cause high rib deflections and rib injury when a side impact causes a significant inboard intrusion of the armrest into the ribs R of the occupant O.
This document relates to a new and improved resettable armrest bracket and an armrest mounting system incorporating that resettable armrest bracket that are adapted or configured to mitigate rib injury otherwise possible due to a side impact causing intrusion of the door and the armrest carried thereon into the passenger compartment and the ribs of the motor vehicle occupant.